Top 10 Most Unexpected Films of 2024
I was going to do my top 10 & bottom 10 movies of 2024, but then realized those would just be repetitive with my video ranking all 70 2024 movies I saw, so if you’re curious, just watch that. I wouldn’t say this list is the top 10 movie that exceeded my expectations either, as this is really more movies that weren’t on my radar at all, or that I expected to not be good. We’ll go through these in alphabetical order:
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever- This is one that was on my radar prior to its release because I learned about while compiling my Christmas movie guide. Movies that come from Christian based companies or feature Christian messaging are usually not good. But this one is not. I think it’s really well done & the message is not as direct as the typical ‘shove it down your throat’ approach. The performances from a mostly young cast were very impressive and the film is incredibly emotional.
Carry-On- The second Christmas film on this list, starring Taron Egerton as a TSA agent, this is another one I learned about shortly before its release. I had no idea this would be ‘Die Hard’ reincarnate & honestly a better successor to the film than it’s own sequel. Egerton was great, Jason Bateman was ominous, and it had all the right ingredients for a solid action film.
Dìdi- A coming-of-age dramedy from Sean Wang, the film stars Izaac Wang as Chris Wang, a young Taiwanese-American boy going through the regular ups and downs of teenage life. The film is incredibly relatable, I’m sure even more so for those of Asian descent, but also just for anyone who has ever been young. The performance from Joan Chen as Chris’s mother was very solid & the feel of the film was very nostalgic.
Hit Man- Glen Powell is awesome.
The Idea of You- My expectations for this one were on the floor, but this film was honestly incredibly solid. Anne Hathaway & Nicholas Galitzine had very unexpected chemistry. The songs were surprisingly catchy, and I have unironically listened to several of them since watching the film. And all of it from a Harry Styles fan fic. Brilliant.
Monkey Man- Shoutout Dev Patel. He really did his thing here as a director, a writer, a producer, and an actor. This was an all around well crafted film that had believable action that was really well choreographed. Patel established himself in many different ways that I think will really open up his career.
Rebel Ridge- An action crime thriller, Aaron Pierre is another name who solidified himself in 2024. Like the prior film, it has really well done action scenes & a protagonist who is easy to invest in. Don Johnson is a sadly realistic antagonist, but plays the part really well. Pierre is an actor who will be eventually be a household name and I think this movie will be what people cite as his breakthrough.
Rez Ball- I think these last three films are probably the least well known here. This film follows a Native American high school basketball team who lose their star player & try to regroup, both on and off the court. The film is emotional & powerful, and the basketball scenes actually look really good, which is refreshing.
Snack Shack- One of my top 10 films of the year, this film follows a pair of teen boys in the early 90s who pursue a few different entrepreneurial schemes. Played by Conor Sherry & Gabriel LaBelle, the two friends feel incredibly realistic & are absolutely hilarious. The supporting cast is also very solid and the film is funny, while remaining grounded.
That Christmas- Finally, it’s not This Christmas, or Last Christmas, or whatever else, but it is ‘That Christmas.’ A film that has the same vibe as ‘Arthur Christmas,’ my all-time favorite Christmas movie, this animated film follows a group of adolescents who experience a blizzard one Christmas Eve. With adults being played by Brian Cox, Fiona Shaw, Jodie Whittaker, & Bill Nighy who all play important supporting roles, the film is one I’m excited to watch with my son one day.
